Joachim Löw was manager of the tournament but Holland's Louis van Gaal
was not far behind - which is great news for fans at Old Trafford

There should be two sets of supporters smiling following the conclusion of what was an exceptional World Cup.

The first, for obvious reasons, are the Germans who will celebrate their deserved victory. The second? Manchester United fans. Having watched the last five weeks they will be even more confident they have recruited one of the best managers in the world. It may be a year late, but United have appointed a natural successor to Sir Alex Ferguson in Louis van Gaal.

If Joachim Löw is worthy of the description manager of the tournament for leading Germany to World Cup success, Van Gaal was not far behind for getting the most out of a relatively limited Dutch team and taking them to the brink of the final. The Holland squad did not compare with the pass masters or ‘total football’ teams of previous generations, but they took third spot because of the cunning and strategy of their manager. He found a way to get results, unbeaten over the course of 90 minutes and extra time.

If there were any doubts about Van Gaal’s credentials to become the United manager – and given his CV I doubt there ever were – they must have been eradicated after that destruction of Spain, a fixture which set the tone for a riveting tournament.

Van Gaal’s most eye-catching decision was to substitute goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen for Tim Krul before the quarter-final penalty shoot-out against Costa Rica. That encapsulated his single-mindedness but his influence was evident throughout the competition with some of his unorthodox but successful selections. It must have been reassuring for United fans who are desperate for the club to return to their natural home in the Champions League.

United fans will now be looking forward excitedly to the start of the new season, where 12 months ago there was only trepidation. I cannot see how United will finish below the top three. That is how much difference the manager will make. I have no doubt their Champions League exile will be brief now Van Gaal is taking over.

Van Gaal is the type of manager who will walk into Old Trafford with a strut rather than a limp. He will make himself comfortable in the manager’s office, absorb the enormity of what is around him and feel he belongs there. He carries that swagger of someone who backs himself on every decision and will not tolerate indecision.

If it goes right it is down to him. If it goes wrong, it is someone else’s fault. This is not a negative quality but a pre-requisite in a single-minded coach.

When Sir Alex left Old Trafford 12 months ago, the question had to be asked: who would be big enough to replace him? That was why so many looked at Jose Mourinho and thought he was the only one possessing the ego to deal with the job. The scale of the United post is overwhelming to those who do not have the personality to cope with it, or those who feel they have something to prove. You need to be a certain type of character. It is only suitable for someone who will stiffen their back, broaden their shoulders and believe they have found their natural home.

Having seen the United fixture list, I also fancy Van Gaal to enjoy a good start. With no European competition, they will benefit in the same way as Liverpool did last year, fresher for the Premier League weekends. It will undoubtedly work to their advantage, so you can be sure the rest of the top four will recognise the greater threat of the former champions.

Holland and Van Gaal were significant contributors to a World Cup which was enthralling both tactically and in terms of the entertainment value, something we have not always seen in previous major tournaments when the star players looked too fatigued to perform. There were not many of those who were top of the bill who let us down.

When I was involved in the competition I always found it difficult to judge what was going on everywhere else because you were so absorbed in your own country’s efforts, but what was striking this year – and a contrast to previous competitions – was how the traditional superpowers altered their style while the less fancied nations threw off the shackles.

In the past, you looked to Brazil and Argentina for the flamboyance, while anyone who played against them packed the defence and tried to limit the damage. There was a time when the lower seeds seemed happy to escape with a 1-0 defeat. How that has changed.

This year, it was Brazil and Argentina who were most cautious and countries such as Algeria and Costa Rica brought a positive attitude to their games, fearing no reputation and genuinely believing they could go far.

Algeria impressed me as much as any side. When you think back to their last-16 match, no one caused the German defence so many problems.

The trend may be for much more open tournaments in the future as the rest of the world continues to improve. Football is never static, and the legacy of Brazil 2014 has been the evolution of the Spanish, possession-based game into a more direct, physical application of a highly technical approach from Germany.

Four years ago, Spain seemed to abandon the idea of the typical ‘No 9’ – winning in the Barcelona way by keeping the ball away from the opponent as both an attacking and defensive manoeuvre.

The 4-3-3 system remains the most popular, but for most there is always a more orthodox striker leading the line. Although the majority of coaches claim they are playing 4-3-3, I would argue they are playing 4-5-1, packing the midfield to ensure their defence is protected but they have runners who can offer a goal threat.

Germany’s triumph was based on applying this better than anyone and the rest of us will spend the next few years trying to discover players of the same physical and technical prowess. Rest assured, eventually another nation will come along to evolve this system even more.

Overall, I am not sure if we have just witnessed the best World Cup there has been, but I have loved every minute of it. Now it is over, I am gutted. There is a void for all of us who love football until the Premier League kicks off again.